Down the Exuma Chain

We left Nassau and headed south east to Highborne Cay after a wonderful night anchored away from everyone else out on the very tip of New Providence. As often happens, we chose a spot that looked great by the location and weather forecast…then wound up being the ONLY boat there. Hmmm, we think, what have we missed? Getting used to it, we realize many cruisers follow the group from marked anchorage to marked anchorage. So but again, we are there by ourselves and the answer turns out to be we missed nothing, I think perhaps the others did. Beautiful stars well away from lights and a calm night with just us.

Next we headed south to Shroud Cay, part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, then on to Park Headquarters at Warderick Wells Cay. The place is kind of magical in that it is a “no take” area for everything and has been for over 40 years.. As a result the sea is full of coral, crystal clear water, fish, and crustations as it would be without human impact. At low tide the shallow beach was filled with thousands of large Conch, and coral head right in the mooring field covered with Fan Coral, and some of the largest lobsters we have ever seen.

One exception is Boo Boo Hill where it is OK to leave a memory of your ships passing, but only if it is on driftwood, no artificial materials allowed.

Since the park is a trust run by a foundation they welcome volunteer help so we spent a day helping Andrew, one of the park wardens, build a mooring down-line from some of the toughest, stiffest, most brutal three strand nylon line I have ever seen. Lynn refers to it as “the eye splice from hell”. Blistered fingers and all, we feel a little better by doing our part after enjoying the spectacular above and underwater vistas…and I’ve certainly worked in a lot worse places.

 Now we are anchored off Black Point, Great Guana Cay trying to catch up a bit with some sporadic internet, do a bit of laundry, a few boat chores, and wait out the passing cold (72 degrees, bummer!) front to head farther south east.